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Telugu stars, Matrix Labs promoter to take 60% stake in Maa TV
MUMBAI: The Telugu television market is poised to become the new hot spot with superstars Nagarjuna and Chiranjeevi acquiring stake in Maa TV Network Ltd, the company which owns and operates a Telugu general entertainment channel.
Along with Matrix Laboratories Ltd (a listed company), promoter N Prasad, Nagarjuna and Chiranjeevi will hold 60 per cent of Maa TV in a purchase deal worth Rs 400 million, a source close to the deal tells Indiantelevision.com. A formal announcement will be made soon.
“In the revised capital structure of Maa TV, the three of them will have equal stake. The company will have a fresh infusion of Rs 500 million with the original promoter putting in Rs 100 million,” the source says.
Maa TV founder-promoter Murali Krishna Raju’s holding will come down to 20 per cent after the restructuring. Raju, along with his associates, held around 80 per cent stake in the company. His individual holding was 50 per cent, the source adds.
The fresh capital will be used to revamp the channel and fund other expansion programmes. “The whole business plan is being reworked. The company is finalising its strategies,” the source says.
The restructuring will involve hiring of professionals including a chief executive. While Nagajuna and Chiranjeevi will also provide their creative inputs, Prasad has come in as a financial investor. “This will mark Prasad’s first investment into media,” the source says.
Maa TV has been in search of funds for a long time and was earlier in talks with Star India and Sun TV. The entertainment channel was banking on movies, events and interactive mobile-based shows to drive in numbers but late last year introduced soaps in its programming lineup.
Star India is planning to launch a Telugu channel in January, a market which is dominated by Sun Group’s Gemini TV and ETV Telugu. Zee made its entry in the South market with its Telugu entertainment channel in May 2005.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
